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Enterprise Console: using Active Directory to deploy protection automatically

You can synchronize Enterprise Console groups with Active Directory containers. New computers and groups discovered in Active Directory are copied into Enterprise Console automatically, and discovered Windows 2000 or later workstations can be protected automatically with Sophos Anti-Virus for Windows 2000+.

For more details on Active Directory synchronization, see the Enterprise Console user manual.

Computers running Windows 95/98/Me, Windows server operating systems, Mac, or Linux will not be protected automatically. You must protect such computers manually.

What to do

To set up synchronization, do as follows.

  1. On the Groups menu, select Synchronize with Active Directory. A wizard is launched to guide you through the process.
  2. In the Overview dialog box, click 'Next'.
  3. In the 'Choose an Enterprise Console Group' dialog box, select a group. Click 'Next'.
  4. In the 'Choose an Active Directory Container' dialog box, select an Active Directory container which you want to synchronize the group with.
  5. Do either of the following:
    • Enter the name of the container, e.g. LDAP://CN=Computers,DC=domain_name,DC=local).
    • Click 'Browse' to browse to the container in Active Directory.
  6. Click Next.
  7. In the Protect Computers Automatically dialog box:
    • Select 'Install Sophos Anti-Virus automatically' if you want Sophos Anti-Virus installed on new Windows 2000 or later computers.
    • Select 'Install Sophos Client Firewall automatically' if you want to install the firewall as well as anti-virus software.
  8. Click Next. Synchronization will take place.
  9. If you selected to protect computers automatically, the 'Enter Active Directory Credentials' dialog box will be displayed. Enter the details of an administrator account that will be used to install software on the computers.
  10. Click Next.
  11. In the 'Choose the Synchronization Interval' dialog box, choose how often you want to synchronize the Enterprise Console group with the Active Directory container. The default is 60 minutes.
  12. In the Confirm Your Choices dialog box, check the details.
  13. Click Next to proceed.
  14. In the final dialog box, you can view the details of the groups and computers that have been synchronized.

All Windows 2000 or later workstations discovered during future synchronizations will be protected automatically, in compliance with their respective group policies.

Enabling and disabling automatic protection at other times

You can enable or disable automatic protection later.

If you need more information or guidance, then please contact technical support.